Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals continue to generate significant research and commercial interest due to their unique size dependent properties, flexible processing chemistry and applicability to a variety of industrial fields, including advanced optical materials.
Zero-dimensional and one-dimensional colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals, respectively known as colloidal quantum dots and quantum rods, have been successfully synthesized with good control of size, shape and size/shape distribution. However, effective synthesis of two-dimensional colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals with sufficient control of size, shape and size/shape distribution has proved to be increasingly difficult. Sheets and belts of semiconductors with at least one dimension in the bulk size regime and a thickness demonstrating one-dimensional quantum confinement have been reported. Nevertheless, the colloidal processability of such large structures is poor, leading to difficulties and inefficiencies in device fabrication.